These next three conferences will be my favorite one to predict as I just find them fun and unique teams inside these conferences as well being the most likely conferences to have the fifth conference championship winner. The Sun Belt is also the only conference with divisions still in the FBS, which intrigues me and separates them from the pack of the same and makes an interesting divide and feel to watching a conference game. The Sun Belt is also coming off a massive achievement becoming the ACC for a year with James Madison getting a CFP nod over Duke, which earned Bob Chesney a chance to go to UCLA. They lose Texas State but gain Louisiana Tech instead just giving them a better resume team altogether. I think the conference will look different this season compared to past seasons and will have two new teams in the championship game.
East Division
1. Marshall
After going 10-3 with a Sun Belt Championship win in 2024 and then deciding not to renew Charles Huff's contract and let him walk and take the Southern Miss job and take the entire team with him, they were suppose to be one of the worst teams in college football last season and just barely missed out of a bowl game losing their last two games. HC Tony Gibson has an underrated defensive mastermind and has some weapons back in LB Javee Gilmore and S Davtione Smith and also has a QB in Carlos Del Rio Wilson who took his opportunity he was given and shown out. Nobody is talking about the Thundering Herd, and good cause I can brag that I was ahead of the game.
2. James Madison
Sun Belt Billy is back in the Sun Belt and the Sun Belt got their Billy back. I expect it to be natural for HC Billy Napier, but I also think he will be stuck at a time where the Sun Belt (mainly the East) is tough and crowded. A loss to Marshall and then a slip up before or after the game (Old Dominion or Georgia Southern) and that is the only conference losses by the Dukes. A really good season, just not enough to reach the Sun Belt Championship and will also break Napier's streak of making the Sun Belt Championship in all four seasons as a coach of a member of the Sun Belt.
3. Georgia Southern
HC Clay Helton was able to win 10 games at USC twice and has twice been above .500 in his four seasons at Georgia Southern. It's really aggravating to see this from someone you thought would do better in a smaller, flow free system like Georgia Southern, but he hasn't lived up to it yet. I think this year we get a sample size of such with QB Max Johnson in his 23rd year in college for the 40th team. They have the schedule to struggle and start 1-3 and then finish 7-5 and a 6-2 conference record.
4. Appalachian State
The Mountaineers will get things back to normal and return to a bowl game. QB Malachi Singleton is the talk of the town, but they poached RB Ja'Quez Cross from Arkansas State and he will be a bigger impact guy than I believe Singleton will. They also have an underratedly great front 7 on the defensive front.
5. Old Dominion
The Monarchs under HC Ricky Rahne has been inconsistent, and even though they did lose Colton Joseph to Wisconsin that that is not why I think they will be so low. I think because they lost their OC to Memphis in Kevin Decker. I think his offensive scheme and play calling was the heart and soul of the team last season and will be irreplaceable. I got them making a bowl game, but by just barely.
6. Coastal Carolina
When looking at Coastal Carolina's roster, there aren't really anything to write home about. They are decent players that you would find on the bench of most FBS teams and would likely start on a FCS squad, but that is the starting WR1 for the Chanticleers I am talking about.
7. Georgia State
They have a QB Cameran Brown who is a great gunslinger, but they rarely through the ball. But, they can't run the ball one bit and the HC is a RB guru who coached NFL talents at Georgia, including the now retired Nick Chubb. The defense is not there and also costs games way too many times.
West Division
1. Louisiana Tech
In their first year in the Sun Belt, HC Sonny Cumbie gets his squad into the Sun Belt Championship Game. QB Blake Baker will most likely have the keys and just let it fly this season, and LB Alonzo Jackson is going to be an intersting name to watch out for as he will be a first time full starter.
2. Louisiana
Since the promotion of HC Michael Desormeaux, the Ragin Cajuns have felt underachieved three of the four seasons since he took over. Is it the year they return to the top? Who knows. But what I do know is that CB Brent Gordon had a phenomenal outing last season as a true freshman and I expect to hear his name a lot next season.
3. South Alabama
Last season was rough, but I expect a bounce back year for the Jaguars. HC Major Applewhite will take over the OC duties as well and be an improvement and help for QB Bishop Davenport as Applewhite was the OC for Carter Bradley back in 2022 and 2023, who led them to two bowl appearances.
4. Southern Miss
Southern Miss only brings back 1 total starter as everyone left as soon as Charles Huff packed it up for Memphis. Despite that, Blake Anderson is Sun Belt Billy before Sun Belt Billy, he will have this team overperforming even though I don't think they make a bowl game.
5. Troy
I think we will notice that Troy is overrated, only won the West last season because Southern Miss tanked. The Trojans will be easily contained this season and return to that 4-8, 5-7 threshold.
6. Arkansas State
HC Butch Jones is just like Clay Helton but has used every ounce of respect and just became tiring. He has tightroped three years in a row of being fired, I think everything is going to fall fast for him this year.
7. UL Monroe
I was hoping they would finally get over the hump, they just keep going downhill. If anything gets them in a bowl game, it will be the defense.
All Sun Belt First Team
QB - Carlos Del Rio Wilson, Marshall
RB - Ja'Quez Cross, Appalachian State
RB - George Pettway, James Madison
WR - Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State
WR - Ashton Hollins, Georgia Southern
WR - Shelton Sampson, Louisiana
TE - Toby Payne, Marshall
C - Ty Furnish, Georgia Southern
G - Tyler Brown, James Madison
G - Ashanti Cole, Louisiana Tech
T - Tyriq Poindexter, Appalachian State
T - AJ Vinson, UL Monroe
DE - Aiden Benton, Appalachian State
DT - Kells Bush, Louisiana Tech
DT - Fitzgerald West, Louisiana
DE - Emmanuel Oguns, Louisiana Tech
LB - Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech
LB - Noah Flemmings, UL Monroe
LB - Javae Gilmore, Marshall
LB - Jalen Marshall, Marshall
CB - Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern
CB - Brent Gordon Jr, Louisiana
S - Mario Easterly, Old Dominion
S - Daytione Smith, Marshall
K - Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern
P - Evan Crenshaw, Troy
LS - Colton Walls, Troy
KR - Chauncy Cobbs, Arkansas State
PR - Jeremiah Jones Thomas, South Alabama
Offensive Player of the Year - Carlos Del Rio Wilson, QB, Marshall
Defensive Player of the Year - Brent Gordon Jr, CB, Louisiana
Coach of the Year - Tony Gibson, Marshall